COVER STORY
CLEANING IS NO PLACE FOR IMPULSE PURCHASES
There is naturally a comfort zone, a familiarity with certain machines for certain tasks and an element of habit that gets in the way when it comes to specifying cleaning
equipment, says Daniel Took, Professional Product Manager at Kärcher UK. Here, he explains that while people understand the need for cleaning machines, there is still a long way to go in terms of embracing new ways to clean.
Dodging souped-up cleaning solutions with all mod cons can actually be far more expensive than you realise. Necessity is the mother of all invention, even the ones we don't know we need – yet. Once upon a time the non- dishwasher owner couldn't understand why anybody would need a machine to clean something they could do perfectly well by hand.
Often, tenders request standard equipment without considering potentially more efficient task-specific alternatives. It's easy to question the need for a change in process, machine type or new features, but, when cleaning represents 80% or more of an FM's contract costs - the most important consideration should be lifetime effectiveness not upfront price.
Constant cleaning innovation means even established models are constantly optimised to perform better – indeed 90% of Kärcher's portfolio is under five years old with an impressive pedigree of some 1,700 patents and registered designs. Each innovation is sparked by customers' needs and experiences, designed to deliver a saving in time, money, resource, or safeguard against operator error throughout the product's lifetime – so even if you've previously dismissed mechanised cleaning, it may be time to revisit that decision.
There’s more than one way to carry out almost every cleaning task. Kärcher’s all-purpose touchless cleaning machines combine a pressure washer with a wet and dry vacuum cleaner, making regular cleaning of sanitary areas fast, thorough and safe, saving time and increasing safety compared to conventional cleaning methods. Recently, heavy industry and large stadium customers in particular have enjoyed the flexibility and versatility of these machines. In the food industry, healthcare and hospitality, steam generating vacuums (SGVs) are growing in popularity, taking over from labour intensive and detergent-heavy manual scrubbing and pressure washer wash downs. Equally at home with awkward crevices and large expanses, these machines are certified to disinfect without the need for chemicals, and remove both dislodged contaminants and waste water.
Technical advances in recent years have rapidly advanced area coverage, ability to cope with heavily furnished environments and operational ease of use. Not only have new machines joined the arena, but the landscape
18 | TOMORROW’S FM
of existing machines has changed enormously. Fresh steering concepts in the scrubber drier range have opened up new opportunities for small and confined spaces, whilst eco models and efficiency settings ensure machines work in the most environmentally-efficient way.
New lithium-ion batteries are lighter, last longer and charge faster than their predecessors for cable-free cleaning of even large expanses. They’ve also paved the way for more compact solutions, reduced weight and better ergonomics – making solutions more effective than ever, as well as allowing longer to clean windows due to the machines' quiet running, discrete appearance.
The great thing about all this new smart tech is, although the machines are incorporating more and more sophisticated technology, the machines themselves are becoming simpler to use. For example, EASY-Operation provides a one-turn switch for all functions with no need for extensive training. Kärcher’s unique KIK (Kärcher Intelligent Key) can determine travel speed, brush speed, detergent control and even language settings (17 languages are currently available), giving considerable whole life cost savings and minimising the risk of user error.
Moreover, to further improve ease of operation and maintenance, Kärcher’s trademark colours are used cleverly too; all cleaning controls are yellow while all maintenance and servicing controls are light grey, helping operators overcome the qualms of taking on something ‘new-fangled’ and quickly familiarising themselves with new machines. This continuity of design approach has the added advantage that operators who have used one Kärcher machine can be deployed on another with ease – so the same team can polish gym floors, sweep car parks, scrub retail stores or vacuum corridors.
It's not just the machines themselves that are evolving. The accessories, detergents, services and purchasing options are all adapting to modern demands too.
Analysing a scattered machine fleet and trying to make productivity savings has traditionally been a labour- intensive task involving the deciphering and forwarding
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